


the egg

by vonseal



Category: ASTRO (Band)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Developing Friendships, Enemies to Friends, Exploration, Fantasy, Friendship, Gen, Historical, Historical References, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mythology References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27623977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vonseal/pseuds/vonseal
Summary: once a year, each of the three kingdoms of korea send brave, young soldiers into a mysterious cave in search of a magical egg that will grant the user unlimited power, money, and life. it is a situation of sure death - no one has ever made it out alive. but as six men, practically strangers to each other, venture deeper into the cave, they realize they must learn to trust each other if it means living.
Relationships: Kim Myungjun | MJ & Park Jinwoo | Jin Jin, Lee Dongmin | Cha Eunwoo & Moon Bin, Moon Bin & Park Minhyuk | Rocky
Comments: 8
Kudos: 28
Collections: Aroha Writers Secret Santa 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Faeradam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faeradam/gifts).



> this is my fic for secret santa!!! 
> 
> prompt: A competition, race through a maze to find the prize: a Christmas dragon egg that after hatching can grant one wish! Consider: possibilities for teams and romance, is the competition violent or non-violent, everyone’s wishes; actually important or just for superficial things, obstacles in the maze etc etc

The mouth of the cave awaited him, its jagged teeth hungry and its dark abyss frightening. Had he been any lesser of a man, perhaps he would have turned around and given up. But he was Captain Moon, a formidable member of the Goguryeo military, a man who happened to catch the king’s eye during one of their bi-annual hunting games. Through wit and skill, he had managed to hunt more animals than any other military personnel, and the king had called upon him for a special audience. 

And now here he was, trying his best to dispel the fear and enter the damn cave.

Beside him stood a fellow archer, a man who seemed unmoved by the daunting cave, and merely nudged Bin’s shoulder to ask, “Shall we enter?”

“Of course, Minhyuk,” Bin agreed, clearing his throat. “I was merely admiring the lovely place we shall call our home for the next several hours.”

“It shall soon be our grave for the next several centuries,” Minhyuk teased. “Remember, not a single soul has managed to escape the cave.”

Which was why it was  _ Bin _ being sent off to his doom and not any other prominent figures of the military. His kingdom could afford to lose an Imperial Captain, but not anyone of higher ranking command. There was little hope he would return, as those before him had never been seen again after entering the cave. There was only one who had managed to escape, though his writings were highly contested and his existence, even, was possibly fabricated. 

_ A cave of wonders _ , so the text had gone, allegedly written by a General Go Hueng,  _ is situated at the intersection of the three kingdoms, and within this cave are riches beyond the imagination _ . And so the story continues, a recollection of this general and his encounters inside of the cave. He met creatures of myth, talking animals, gods and goddesses, and a dragon guarding a mysterious egg. The egg was said to give the holder power over all, enough gold to reign supreme for years to come, and immortality to rival the gods. Of course, this had created quite the clamor, and because the cave lay in disputed territory that belonged to none of the three kingdoms, kings were able to send their men inside in search of this dragon egg.

No one had found it. No one had come out alive, either. It was a suicidal mission that had little chance of revealing anything at all.

And Bin had been chosen as a sacrifice for his king.

There was some honor in it, he supposed. The ones chosen were hailed as national heroes. They were given the highest military status possible upon their deaths, and their families were given fair compensation. Bin knew he couldn’t ask for a better ending to his life.

Still, the fact that his life had to come to an end so soon was more than a little nerve-wracking, and he offered his assistant an anxious smile.

“I don’t suppose there’s any way we could  _ pretend _ to have entered the cave and found nothing, is there? We could end this cycle of sacrifice for greedy kings. We could be heroes to aspiring imperial majors everywhere.”

Before his assistant could respond, a new voice joined into the fray, deep and haughty and arrogant.

“I would have expected such words from you, Captain Moon.”

Bin didn’t even have to turn around to know who had just appeared. “Captain Lee. What a pleasure meeting you off the battlefield.” He smirked at the newcomer. “You’re quite late. Minhyuk and I shall enter first.”

Captain Lee Dongmin came on horseback, his own assistant with him. He had a pack of goods, and a few weapons by his side. When he dismounted, the assistant piled his belongings on the ground before taking the horse aside.

“I suppose the sacrifices from Silla are already inside?” Dongmin asked. “Or else they’re late, as well.”

“Captain Kim is known for his tardiness,” Bin pointed out. “It’s not like it matters. You and Captain Kim shall soon be dead, whereas I’ll emerge victorious with this mysterious egg.”

“Has Goguryeo fallen to such hard times that it needs a mythical egg to save it?” Dongmin mocked.

“And the same could be said for Baekje. Besides, it’s tradition at this point. Try not to be such an ass, Dongmin.” 

As he spoke, Dongmin’s assistant had mounted his horse and was headed away. Bin was shocked that Dongmin had chosen to go into the cave alone. All soldiers had taken help, for the cave was supposedly filled with danger at every turn. It made sense to have a willing participant on one’s side.

As if noticing Bin’s confusion, Dongmin puffed himself out, and said, voice dripping with pride, “Some of us have no need for assistance. We’re strong enough to do it on our own.”

Not one to be shown up, Bin snapped, “Minhyuk, leave.”

“No,” Minhyuk responded, a clear act of insubordination. “Our other assistant took the horses and, besides, you’d be a damn fool to head in there alone, even if you’re only doing so to prove Dongmin wrong. I’m not willing to watch you die by yourself for some silly dick-measuring competition.”

Bin narrowed his eyes at Minhyuk, but found enough reason in those words to fling some more insults Dongmin’s way. “Do you hear that, Captain Lee? Only a  _ damn fool _ would head in there alone.” 

Dongmin rolled his eyes, though clearly the words had spooked him a  _ little _ bit. He adjusted the sword by his side and cleared his throat before finding his own comeback. “At least I don’t have someone doing the fighting for me.”

“Are you kidding?” Minhyuk asked with a scoff. “I would never fight for Captain Moon. Really, sir, you view me as some lowly servant, when I am on par with Bin’s strength and will gladly snatch up the egg to give to the king myself.”

Bin knew that Minhyuk was telling the truth. He had wondered why he had chosen such an arrogant assistant, but his strength in battle was inspiring to watch. Even if Minhyuk would leave him behind for glory, at least they were fighting together.

It seemed as if Dongmin did not have a comeback to that, and so he fell silent, eyeing the mouth of the cave warily instead. “I wonder,” he murmured, “how many hopeful participants have played this foolish game. I wonder how many have lost their lives in such a wretched place.”

Bin merely shrugged as he hoisted his bag further up on his shoulder. “Well, it’ll soon be several more. Don’t worry, Captain Lee — I’m certain that if you’re able to catch up to me, we can die together.”

“I’d rather die alongside a barbarian than with you.”

“Harsh,” Bin commented. “But fair. Absolutely fair.” He grinned and then took a step forward, closer to his impending doom. Despite his nonchalance he displayed toward Dongmin, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest, threatening to burst out of his ribcage at any moment. He was terrified to face such a strange and unknown place. He was frightened to meet such creatures of myth, to suffer a death that could likely be slow and painful. 

But Minhyuk moved to stand beside him, grounding him in place. Bin shot his friend a quick, gracious smile, and then took a deep breath.

Before he could say anything, however (and he had an entire speech prepared, too), Dongmin nudged past him and snapped, “Some of us would like to begin, Captain Moon. Move your ass.”

Of course Dongmin had to ruin things. That was per the norm. Bin glared at his enemy as he disappeared into the darkness.

“Am I as obnoxious of a person as Dongmin is?” he asked.

Minhyuk sighed and began to follow the Baekje officer into the cave. “No,” he replied, “you’re more obnoxious.”


	2. Chapter 2

Jinwoo couldn’t help but roll his eyes as Myungjun began a new train of thought, words spilling out of his mouth faster than ought to be humanly possible. For the past ten minutes, Myungjun had not yet shut his mouth. Jinwoo was positive he had yet to even take a breath, so hurried was his speech. But he could say very little to stop Myungjun from continuing his one-sided discussion. Myungjun liked to hear himself talk, and Jinwoo thought he was used to that by now.

Apparently, he wasn’t. The silence of the cave had surely tested his patience for the imperial captain, and he had to grit his teeth to keep from telling Myungjun to shut up. He had already tried to get Myungjun to stop talking, anyway; he had delivered a small, “Would you mind keeping your voice down, Captain Kim?”

Myungjun had loudly responded, “Why should I?” and Jinwoo instantly ceased his efforts for quiet.

It wasn’t all bad, though. He supposed he would rather hear a familiar voice than the echoes of the cave. It was already dark enough that his torch offered little in way of light, and the silence  _ was _ a bit overwhelming. 

“As I was saying,” Myungjun continued, ignoring the way Jinwoo rolled his eyes (or, more likely, unable to see the way Jinwoo rolled his eyes — it  _ was _ dark in the cave), “I highly doubt the sacrifices from the other two kingdoms have yet to arrive. And, my goodness, imagine if  _ China _ were to send their own men; wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Fun is hardly the word I would use to describe this debacle,” Jinwoo muttered.

Myungjun gave a loud hum, as if thinking through JInwoo’s words. Jinwoo knew Myungjun wasn’t thinking anything through, however. Myungjun seemed to barge right into situations with little regard for consequences. He didn’t seem like someone who would consider such wise words.

At least, that was the impression Jinwoo had of Captain Kim. They had known each other for a few weeks now. Myungjun was chosen as the captain who would enter the cave and find that damn dragon’s egg, a foolish task that was absolutely certain to cause his demise. Still, despite the lingering death awaiting him, Myungjun had been excited for the order. He had been given the choice of one man to take along with him, an aide or assistant to help in his task.

He had pointed a finger right at Jinwoo and had asked, “What’s his name? I’ll take him.”

Jinwoo had supposed Myungjun chose him for his strength or his wit, and yet when he asked, Myungjun replied, “I’ve honestly never seen you before. You just look like you’d be entertaining!”

Curse Myungjun. Curse him straight to the underworld. Jinwoo hadn’t been prepared to die yet for his country. He was a low-ranking soldier, having just passed his exams, and had lofty goals for his life. Myungjun had ruined him.

“We should play a game,” Myungjun blurted out, making it clear to Jinwoo that he really  _ hadn’t _ thought through anything. 

Jinwoo had pegged him correctly. Damn him. “I’d rather not play a game when we’re about to possibly face our demise.”

“Let’s sing, then.”

“No, thank you.”

With a small sigh, Myungjun took a large step, creating distance between himself and Jinwoo. “I’d like to do  _ something _ exciting in my last hours here on this planet. Do you know any Silla war songs, Jinwoo? I don’t suppose you would, as you’re new—”

“I know the songs.”

He could see, in the small glimmer of light offered to him by his torch, that Myungjun shot him a small smirk. 

“Then let’s hear you sing,” Myungjun urged.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s…” Jinwoo looked around, wondering if he and Myungjun were in the same location. Surely Myungjun saw the dark despair surrounding them? Surely Myungjun knew there were creatures lurking behind every corner? He gestured around him, wildly, and then blurted out, “We’re in the middle of a dangerous cave! No man who has ever entered this cave has made it out alive! Why would I sing in such a terrible situation?”

Myungjun regarded him curiously for a few seconds before grinning. “It’s not so bad. Besides, one person has made it out alive; that’s the entire reason our kingdoms know anything about this mysterious egg, isn’t it? My, a dragon’s egg that grants wishes and power and riches! Does it not seem too fantastical to believe?”

He could hardly keep his mind focused on one subject. 

Jinwoo trudged along after him, his stomach turning. He felt unsettled. He felt like he was being watched. He felt like the cave had a thousand eyes all aimed at him.

Myungjun continued, “Mind you, Jinwoo, I do not necessarily believe in dragons. In fact, I think this is all nonsense. Dragons don’t exist, and even if they do, would you really believe a dragon lays her egg in a damp, dark cave once a year so hapless idiots such as ourselves can come trespassing on her property for a chance to steal her egg?”

When he put it that way, Myungjun had an excellent point. 

Jinwoo couldn’t help but ask, “Then what of the sacrifices? What happens to them? If there is no dragon guarding her egg, then why do the other men never return?”

“There are plenty of other things in caves that can kill us!” Myungjun announced. “Bears, for example.”

“Bears do not come this deep into caves.”

“Scorpions,” Myungjun continued, as if Jinwoo had not interrupted him, “and spiders. Poisonous spiders, likely. Perhaps there are some creatures we have not yet discovered. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if  _ we _ discovered them, Jinwoo? Perhaps we might not come out with some egg, but we would be renowned for our new creatures and insects. The king could even—”

Myungjun fell silent suddenly, and Jinwoo needn’t ask why. He could see Myungjun tense and spin around, staring somewhere behind Jinwoo.

There was movement. Something else was in the cave with them.

Jinwoo held out his torch, trying to still his trembling hand. He could see a figure walking towards them, and he called out, “Who goes there? Are you from Goguryeo? Baekje?”

He could hear Myungjun pull his sword from its sheath. He backed up, grasping at his own sword and not yet brandishing it.

The figure was close enough now that Jinwoo could make out its features. It was a young man with tousled hair and a mischievous grin. He held no weapons on him and yet seemed confident enough in the face of two warriors.

“Hello, Captain Kim!” the man greeted him. “Care to wrestle?”


	3. Chapter 3

Minhyuk truly wished they hadn’t caught up to Captain Lee. Sure,  _ strength in numbers _ , and all of that nonsense, but he knew both Bin and Dongmin would be quick to betray each other if the situation called for it. They squabbled like an old, married couple, just without the adoration and  _ with _ underlying bloodthirst. He sighed loudly, not for the first time that evening, and trudged on behind the two of them, keeping his eye out in case they decided to yank out their swords and fight to the death.

They had met as young boys, apparently, when Dongmin visited Goguryeo with his father and an entourage of men. Spending a year for  _ cultural learning _ , they had been housed at the Moon estate. Bin and Dongmin were roughly the same age and had butted heads from the moment they met; Dongmin was too spoiled for Bin’s tastes, and Bin was too rowdy for Dongmin’s tastes. Minhyuk had heard the story countless times to the point he could probably spout it off his own head if he was asked.

The few times Bin and Dongmin had met again had been mere coincidences (though Dongmin, a bit more supernatural, always mentioned  _ the divine influence of the spirits that have clearly decided the pit us against one another _ , or some similar garbage), and Minhyuk loathed the idea of spending anymore time with them than necessary.

It wasn’t until they came to a fork in the cave, however, that Minhyuk could speak up.

“Captain Lee can take the right passage,” he stated, hurrying forward with his torch held in front of him. “And we shall take the left.”

“Hold on,” Dongmin snapped. “I wanted to take left.”

Minhyuk resisted the urge to roll his eyes, though he doubted Dongmin would be able to see him do it in such dim lighting. “Fine. Captain Lee can take the left passage, and we —”

“Well, now that Dongmin wants to go left, then I do, instead.”

Dongmin huffed. “Of course you would say that, Bin. You  _ live _ to be difficult and utterly unlikeable. Take the right passage, as Minhyuk has stated.”

“I don’t listen to Minhyuk. He’s nothing but a mere soldier. He answers to  _ me _ , not the other way around.”

In response, Minhyuk nudged Bin harshly with his free hand. “Listen,” he snapped, shouldering his way in between the two annoying captains, “we have to get a move on. We don’t have much more time before the egg is said to disappear and we’re stuck in here forever. So we ought to split up.”

“But what if he finds the egg first?” Bin asked, gesturing wildly at Dongmin, his hand almost hitting the flames. “Then we’ll die anyway, won’t we?”

Dongmin wore a smirk. “ _ If _ I find the egg first?” he repeated. “Bin, please. It’s  _ when _ I find the egg first.”

“You’d best be lucky my assistant is between us, or else I’d smack that smug look off your face.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Minhyuk murmured, and then louder he said, “We need to go  _ now _ . Left or right, Bin, take your pick and just let Dongmin take his own pick. I don’t care which way, I just want to hurry and find the egg.”

Bin glared at Dongmin for a few extra seconds before randomly pointing. He pointed at the right passage.

Dongmin glanced down the darkened cave and stated, “I shall take right.”

“ _ We’re _ taking right, you sniveling warthog.”

Minhyuk wasn’t in the mood to deal with their nonsense any longer, and so he stormed along himself. “We can all take right,” he called out. “Just because you two idiots are too stubborn to work together doesn’t mean—”

Dongmin suddenly gave a yelp, the loud noise cutting through Minhyuk’s small lecture. He spun around, eyes wide as he gazed upon the captain, who looked rather frightened as he stumbled backwards.

Bin, who seemed just as confused as Minhyuk, asked, “What? What’s the matter, Dongmin?”

“It...it…” Dongmin pointed a trembling finger to the area just behind Bin. “Did you two not see it?”

They looked over. Minhyuk even moved forward, holding the torch up, but he could see nothing. 

“It was...oh, gods, I don’t even know how to describe it.” Dongmin swallowed thickly and added, “It wasn’t human.”

Minhyuk could feel goosebumps along his skin. He didn’t like this damn cave. It held nothing but death and despair, and there were likely many things unknown that would haunt all those who entered. Still, with Dongmin acting cowardly and Bin also stricken with fear, Minhyuk knew he had to take charge. 

“Your eyes were likely playing tricks on you,” he said. “The cave is dark and with the light from the torch dancing along the walls, you’re simply seeing things. Come, now. We’ve all agreed to take right, and I’d like to get this over with.”

Dongmin slowly nodded his head, as if trying to convince himself to believe Minhyuk’s words. He stepped forward, to the right passageway, but stopped again. 

“It looked like an egg,” he mumbled.

Bin spoke up, his voice shaking. “An...an egg?”

“Yes.”

“A ghost, then,” Minhyuk muttered. He didn’t say what the others were all thinking; the appearance of such a weirdly-shaped ghost, a ghost with no discernible features, was a sign of death. Because Dongmin had seen the ghost, he was likely to die, and if Minhyuk and Bin remained alongside him, then they, too, were likely to die.

“Let’s go left,” Minhyuk exclaimed, loudly. He grabbed Bin’s arm and turned them around, trying to ignore Dongmin’s sputtered cries.

However, just as they turned to the other passageway, Minhyuk caught sight of something he knew he would rather not have seen.

Bin, beside him, froze and whispered, “You see it?”

Minhyuk tried to calm his beating heart as he nodded his head.

The egg was there.

They were all going to die.


	4. Chapter 4

Sanha realized, far too late to make a difference, that coming into the cave alone was a mistake.

He had thought it would be simple enough. Enter the cave, take the dragon egg, and go home. He thought he was strong enough to survive the ordeal.

He should have at  _ least _ found a willing participant to travel the depths of the cave with him, however. It was more terrifying than he had originally assumed. The silence was only interrupted with the small  _ drip-drop _ of water and the occasional scuffling caused by bugs or whatever creatures lurked this deep in the mountains. Sanha, his torch in hand, continued to jerk his head every which way, on the lookout for anything that might possibly harm him. He hadn’t sheathed his sword in half an hour and it was heavy in his sweaty palm, but he still refused to lower it. 

The egg likely didn’t even exist, he thought to himself. It was all some convoluted story made up by the drunkards who stumbled about in town squares, looking for some form of entertainment. How many years had this legend been acted upon? How many men had failed to return from their adventure inside the cave? It was all a great big hoax, likely, some type of silly war game for the rich lords to play while the citizens suffered.

“And, yet, here I am,” Sanha muttered to himself, shaking his head in disbelief.

He wasn’t even a soldier. He had taken his brother’s sword for his own use, as if he could even swing it properly. The moment he came face to face with an enemy, he was as good as dead. Yet, he couldn’t back down. The supposed egg was rumored to bring forth any wishes men desired. It could grant gold and power and health.

Sanha didn’t care for gold. More money would be nice, but his family did well enough on their own. He didn’t care for power, either. He had never been a  _ leader _ type and he would feel weighed down with such responsibility. 

Health, however, was the most important thing the egg would offer him.

He trudged forward, trying his best to ignore the sounds around him, and he thought of his darling mother.

She had taken such good care of him, and of his two older brothers. She was a diligent wife and a loving mother; Sanha hadn’t expected her to fall sick. But the sickness took hold, wrapping the frail woman in its tight grip, refusing to release her for even a second. Day after day, Sanha was forced to watch as she grew weaker. Within a month, she was unable to rise from bed, her limbs trembling too much and her body too exhausted. She could only curl in her blankets and moan from the pain, as her husband fed her herbs to try and give her some sort of reprieve. 

Sanha grit his teeth as he thought of his poor father. The man was beside himself, refusing to move from his wife’s bed. He spent as much of their gold as he was able on doctors, all of whom told him the same thing — there was nothing they could do. His father had spiralled deeper into sadness as his mother spiralled deeper into pain.

The Yoon family was slowly falling apart.

But the story of the egg had caught Sanha’s attention. He knew of the annual quest the kings would send their men on. Each king of each kingdom wanted the egg for himself.  _ We can strengthen the kingdom! _ they would proclaim to a crowd of hapless supporters,  _ we can rule forever! _ they would promise. Sanha supposed he had once liked the idea of Silla Kingdom gaining immortality on the world maps, but now he couldn’t care less about such futile nonsense. His mother’s life was in jeopardy, and the egg was his last hope.

He felt ridiculous, however. Who on earth put their faith in some  _ egg? _ It was probable the egg didn’t even exist. Save for the one, unknown man who put forth the legend, no one had ever seen it before.  _ Laid by the wise dragon god, _ so the legend said,  _ only the bravest of souls will be able to acquire the egg for themselves _ .

Sanha knew he wasn’t very brave, though. He never had been. His older brothers were brave men, off gallivanting with hunting parties and rising through the ranks of the Silla military. Sanha had chosen a different path in life, that of a scholar. He had been hard at work at his studies when he was called home due to his mother’s poor health, having to skip the testing that year in order to care for his family. 

But his studies no longer mattered, not when he saw how swiftly the sickness had overtaken his mother. What was the point in being smart if he couldn’t even figure out how to keep his family in one piece? 

Then again, this idea  _ definitely _ was impulsive and the opposite of  _ smart _ . Who was he fooling, thinking he could take on a dragon and have the egg all to himself? It was likely the kings had sent in other men, men who were strong and capable. Sanha would die alone in the cave, mauled to death by some creature of legend, and no one would be the wiser to his whereabouts. He was alone, and so he would remain alone. His soul would forever haunt the confines of the cave until some other soldier, in years to come, would come and put him to rest.

“No,” Sanha muttered to himself. He ought not think like that.

Besides, the soldier who would find him would die, just like all of the others. 

A shiver ran down his spine as he hurried onwards, stumbling over a damp area as he turned a sharp corner. He felt his lips quiver and he sniffled, willing himself not to cry.

He wasn’t the bravest of men, but he could do this. He  _ would _ do this. He would find the egg and ensure his mother’s sickness left her for good.

He wouldn’t stop until he succeeded in his quest. 


	5. Chapter 5

From his understanding, there weren’t too many people who would randomly ask others to engage in some sort of wrestling competition. Likewise, there ought not be anyone in this cave, save for the captains from Goguryeo and Baekje. Myungjun used the slightest bit of deduction to snap his fingers and proclaim, “Goblin.”

“Is it really?” Jinwoo asked, holding his torch out to better see the mysterious creature of legend.

Myungjun scoffed. “Would I lie to you, Jinwoo?”

“I don’t know you very well. It’s possible you might.”

“Well, then, who the hell else could this be? It’s not as if there are random cave dwellers running about asking people to wrestle them. Only...goblins.” Granted, he had never seen a goblin before. He had to admit, he was quite disappointed. He expected regal men, or else some sort of mysterious figure who could shapeshift and float and maybe shoot lightning bolts from his fingers. This man in front of them, however, was wearing basic clothing and had messy, black hair. He didn’t look like a goblin ought to look.

Myungjun cocked his head and asked, “How can we be certain that you are a goblin?”

“Are you serious?” Jinwoo hissed, standing closer to Myungjun. “First you claim he is one, now you question him?”

Myungjun didn’t dignify that with an answer (and it most  _ certainly  _ wasn’t because he  _ couldn't  _ think of an answer). Fortunately for him, the goblin smiled brightly and responded, “Shall I make fire for you?”

“Oh, please do!” Myungjun exclaimed, nodding his head. Jinwoo, still beside him, sighed, but otherwise awaited the supposed fire.

Sure enough, the goblin’s hand began to glow. He held out his arm and in his hand was a little ball of blue fire.

Myungjun marveled at the flames, as they jumped and skipped along the goblin’s fingers. “Fascinating,” he murmured. “So you truly  _ are  _ a goblin.”

The goblin’s hand closed into a fist and the fire was extinguished. “I am,” he confirmed, “and I would very much like to wrestle with you.”

Myungjun raised his eyebrows. He had always heard goblins liked to wrestle others. He wasn’t sure if there was a reason, besides from causing a bit of mischief, and possibly to deter humans from their intended route. He assumed, in this case, it was the latter, for why else would a goblin be inside of a cave?

“What will you do if I win the wrestling match?” Myungjun asked, already passing some of his supplies over to Jinwoo.

The goblin, still with a smile on his face, responded, “I’ll allow you to continue onward.”

“And if we lose?”

“Then you shall have to find another route, or else I will kill you. Such a pity, as well. You seem like a handsome man. Both of you.”

“But me most of all, right?” Myungjun urged, and Jinwoo nudged him, making a noise of disbelief.

The goblin shrugged his shoulders and then stepped back, adopting the stance of a hardened wrestler. “Come along, then, traveler. I’d very much like the opportunity to test you. I have been  _ so _ disappointed as of late.”

Myungjun started to remove his armor, but suddenly Jinwoo’s hand folded over his own, stopping him in his tracks. Myungjun glanced up at his aide, a little shocked to have been treated in such a manner. A mere soldier ought not stop his captain from completing an important task!

Jinwoo gazed at Myungjun and asked, “Have you wrestled often?” 

“Well, not  _ often _ , but he doesn’t look too difficult to beat.”

“I’ve wrestled many times before. I’m extremely skilled at the sport. A goblin will be extremely skilled, as well. If you lose, then we will be stuck. We  _ must _ go this way.”

“Are you doubting me, Park Jinwoo?”

Jinwoo hesitated, uncertainty written on his face. His hold on Myungjun faltered for a brief second before his grip tightened and he squared his jaw. “Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, Captain Kim. I’m doubting you. I believe you have many strengths, but wrestling is not one of them.”

In any other circumstance, Myungjun would have been rightfully appalled at being spoken to in such a manner. How  _ dare _ someone act so insubordinate to him! Jinwoo was stepping out of line, and Myungjun wished to punish him.

But in this case, perhaps he was correct. Myungjun had seen him train before, and had noticed he was skilled in hand-to-hand combat, an area Myungjun sorely lacked. They were currently in a dire situation, one that would become worse if Myungjun were to fail at this task. Besides, if  _ Jinwoo _ failed rather than himself, he wouldn’t have to take the blame for their deaths.

He nodded his head after thoughtful consideration, then took his supplies back from Jinwoo’s arms.

“I believe, goblin,” he spoke, addressing the creature, who seemed to have patiently awaited their decision, “that my aide shall fight you instead.”

The goblin grinned. “An Imperial Captain cannot fight his own battle? How laughable!”

Myungjun bit his tongue, knowing better than to stoop as low to take the bait. The goblin was goading him, and Myungjun refused to lose his patience and pride over such a stupid comment. He merely grabbed the torch from Jinwoo’s hands and whispered, “Give him hell for me, Park Jinwoo.”

Jinwoo smiled at Myungjun, and for once his smile was warm and genuine. He had been displeased over having been chosen to follow along in such a foolish quest, and he always seemed not to respect Myungjun’s leadership abilities. At the moment, however, they were naught but two men in dreadful situations who desired the best possible outcome.

Myungjun returned the smile and then stepped aside as Jinwoo took his own stance.

So the fight began.

Myungjun watched, nearly holding his breath as the goblin quickly took control of the situation. He grabbed Jinwoo’s waist and seemed to have the upperhand.

But Jinwoo, for how strong and broad he seemed, was quick. He spun them both around a few times, and Myungjun could tell he was choosing a side to attack. He was determining the goblin’s weakness, and after a few tense seconds, he seemed to have found it.

With a quick pull and another turn, the goblin was down. Jinwoo pinned him to the ground and gazed up at Myungjun with a triumphant expression.

It was over so quickly that Myungjun barely had time to react. He gave a start when he noticed Jinwoo’s stare, and then grinned right back at his friend.

“I believe,” he said, bending down so he could speak with the goblin, “that Jinwoo has bested you.”

“My!” the goblin laughed, its voice loud in the otherwise empty cave. “He definitely has! What fun! I don’t suppose we could go again?”

“I’d rather get out of here quickly, if you don’t mind,” Jinwoo murmured, standing up and releasing the goblin, who also scrambled to his feet.

The goblin nodded his head with enthusiasm. “Of course! You are headed in the right direction. I shall return to the sword from whence I came; or, of course, I could always go and bother the others in the cave. They’re facing difficulties, too, and perhaps they will appreciate a good wrestling match.”

He disappeared before Myungjun could ask any other questions. Just as quickly as he had come, so he was gone. 

“Amazing,” Myungjun muttered in disbelief.

This cave truly was fascinating. 


	6. Chapter 6

They had all seen the ghost.

Dongmin had only heard stories of such a ghost before.  _ An egg ghost, _ his mother had once told him,  _ means death is on the horizon. Pray you do not see one until you’re old and ready to go _ .

He was neither old nor ready to go.

He supposed he could take comfort in the fact that Bin and Minhyuk had also laid eyes upon the ghost. He wouldn’t die alone; they weren’t necessarily friends, but they would become comrades in death, and that was good enough.

Oh, who was he kidding? It wasn’t good at all! He would die in this terrible, dark cave with only two soldiers from an opposing kingdom as companions. His mother would never receive his body. Though he would be honored in death, he wouldn’t be remembered, for he was simply another soul lost to the whims of this damn cave.

The ghost vanished, and the three of them stood there contemplating their mortality.

It was Bin who broke the silence first. “Well,” he murmured, “that was creepy.”

He took a step and Dongmin reached an arm out, grabbing him and holding him back. “Wait a second! Are you just going to continue after we all saw  _ that? _ ”

Bin glanced over his shoulder at him and shrugged. “What else is there to do?”

Dongmin sputtered for a bit, but Bin had a point. Their only other option was to turn tail and run, which would cause them to become quite disenfranchised in the eyes of their respective kings. Besides, now that they had seen the ghost, it meant  _ death _ . It didn’t mean  _ death if you continue in the cave _ or  _ death if you stand around and wait _ . It meant sure, imminent death regardless of their next course of action.

Bin was trembling slightly and Dongmin released him. So Bin was just as scared as Dongmin was. He sure did hide it well, underneath a plethora of confidence and an air of stupidity. But Bin was young and naive and innocent. Weren’t they all? Bin had simply been chosen. He had not volunteered nor had he signed up to face his death. He was a bystander, forced to become a sacrifice for the sake of the king’s own amusement and greed.

“We shouldn’t give the king any damn egg,” he whispered.

Bin’s eyes widened; it would have been comical if not for the situation they found themselves in. 

“What the hell do you mean?” he asked. Minhyuk, standing beside Bin, also looked rather confused.

“I mean...we’re getting ourselves into more trouble than it’s worth. Does your king deserve this egg?”

“Sure, if it means he can kick the hell out of you and  _ your _ king.”

Dongmin sighed. Bin was a competitive spirit. He always had been. Dongmin thought that Bin would mature a bit as he grew older, but he knew that was too great a wish to ask for.

“Do you  _ really _ care about making your king rich and powerful and possibly immortal?” he asked, trying to break through Bin’s idiotic barrier somehow. “Is that  _ really _ what you want? You want to die in a cave to please a king who couldn’t care less for your life?”

Bin bristled. “The king cares for me. He cares for all his citizens.”

“If he did, then he wouldn’t force you to face your death just for the tiniest of possibilities of riches and power and immortality.”

Bin, at least, appeared to be thinking through all of Dongmin’s words. He pursed his lips and gestured around them. “Then what, pray tell, do you expect us to do?” he asked. “We’ve already started on this journey. We’ve already seen the ghost of death. We’re already this far, and so we might as well continue until we’re killed in the process.”

He was right. They couldn’t change their untimely demise. That was promised to them by the spirits. However, they could change routes and do something else if they found that stupid egg.

“We pray,” Dongmin suggested. “We tell the gods we won’t take the egg to the king. Something doesn’t want us to have that egg; we were given a sign that we have taken the wrong path.”

“Or,” Minhyuk interrupted, smiling slightly, “we were given a warning by the spirits that something ahead is going to murder us.”

“Or that,” Dongmin agreed, feeling rather sick to his stomach. “Why don’t we loop back around and take a new path?” Bin looked unconvinced, but Dongmin knew if he kept pushing, he might get somewhere. “Think about it; we could be the first people to not only make it out of the cave alive, but also to evade an egg ghost.”

Bin hummed. Dongmin knew his words had definitely cut through; Bin was competitive, after all, and being the first at not only one but  _ two _ things was enough to get him going.

“Goguryeo takes the glory,” he added.

Dongmin sighed and replied, “That’s not--”

“Goguryeo takes all the glory, or else I will continue down this path and get myself brutally murdered.”

“But then Dongmin will loop around and survive and Goguryeo won’t get anything except  _ why the hell did we send someone as idiotic as Bin? _ ” Minhyuk said. Dongmin never knew whose side Minhyuk was on, but he appreciated the support.

Bin raised his eyebrows and then nodded his head. “Fair point,” he conceded. “Alright, then. We shall loop around and possibly but probably not evade death. We’ll follow Dongmin’s plan. Though, I want it to be known that if we die, it’s all Dongmin’s fault.”

Dongmin thought that was quite unfair; they had all laid eyes upon the ghost of death, after all. He didn’t think he was to blame. But before he could defend himself, Bin had already turned and was walking back, forgoing his exploration of much of the cave.

Well, at least Bin was listening to him. That was a first. Dongmin shared a long-suffering glance with Minhyuk before they, too, left their initial path and regrouped toward the entrance.

And all the while, Dongmin prayed that he was taking the way that would result in a lack of murders.


	7. Chapter 7

If Myungjun complained once more, Jinwoo swore he was going to wring the captain’s neck.

“Jinwoo,” Myungjun whined, just as the thought crossed Jinwoo’s mind. “My legs are tired; do you think we can take a break?”

Jinwoo prayed to the gods above to grant him the strength and patience to deal with such a nuisance.

“Fine,” he muttered. It wasn’t as if they had an end goal, anyway. Sure, it was important to get to the egg. It would be  _ nice _ to get to the egg. It would be wonderful to get to the egg and to take it and leave. However, given the success rate of every other soldier who had attempted such a precarious task, Jinwoo was well-aware that their odds of getting out were slim to none.

Or, rather, just simply  _ none _ . There was no plausible way for them to escape when no one else had before.

Though Jinwoo was not the captain, and though Myungjun was definitely senior in terms of ranking (and age, which Jinwoo liked to remind him from time to time, just to keep Myungjun a bit humbled), Myungjun sighed in relief, as if he wouldn’t stop unless given permission to do so. He flopped onto the ground and groaned, stretching his legs out in front of him.

“We’re walking in circles,” Myungjun commented, his voice strained from his weird stretches. “Jinwoo, we are  _ definitely _ walking in circles.”

Jinwoo glanced around them. It was quite possible that Myungjun was correct. The cave didn’t have very many defining features, and the light that came from their torches wasn’t enough to penetrate the complete darkness offered by the cave, and so they might’ve been walking in circles.

However, it was also possible that the cave was messing with them, as it had many others before.

Jinwoo sat across from Myungjun and leaned against the wall of the cave. 

“I wonder if the cave is forcing us to walk around and around and around until we fall over and can go no longer.”

“It already bested me,” Myungjun fussed. “I bet my ankles are swollen.”

“You’ve been in battle before; how the hell are you so unfit?”

“You run on adrenaline in battle. This is just slow and tedious and boring.” Myungjun sighed and dipped his head back, staring up at the ceiling. It was wet this deep in the cave. Small drops of condensation fell on their heads.

Myungjun hummed lightly when Jinwoo gave him no response to his quip. “Perhaps you’re right,” he finally conceded. “Maybe this cave is trying to murder us. I mean, we already had that goblin appear out of nowhere and fight you, but you did defeat him -- congratulations, by the way. Good job. It was honestly impressive.”

Jinwoo felt himself perk up a bit. “Thanks.”

Myungjun didn’t take it back, nor did he make a silly comment to detract from the seriousness of his statement. He continued forward, and so Jinwoo decided to take his praise and hold it within his heart.

“But maybe the cave wants us dead, so it’s throwing everything it possibly can in our direction. First it was the goblin; now it’s a never-ending circle until we reach our doom. It’s highly probable. It’s likely. In fact, I think you might be right.” Myungjun kicked the floor of the cave with his foot. “Well, don’t start laughing and celebrating just yet, you damn cave. I’m Captain Kim, and I don’t give up without a fight!”

Jinwoo smiled at his captain. “How will you fight a cave?” he questioned.

“Oh, Jinwoo, do not doubt me. I’m sure I have fought many rocks before, as a drunken man. I shall just have to retreat back into the mindset, pretend alcohol is plaguing my mind, and then I shall become a menace on all the rocks this cave holds dear.”

Jinwoo couldn’t help but laugh. Just minutes prior, he wanted to kill Myungjun; now he wanted nothing more than to keep him close by, safe at all times. He hoped, before they died, they could call each other friends. He would much rather die in the arms of a friend than he would the arms of some captain he didn’t know too much about.

“You like to get drunk, then?” he asked, deciding to make conversation.

“Love to. I’m a lightweight, though. Such is the curse of my small stature.” Myungjun smiled wickedly at him. “I suppose you are a lightweight, too.”

So much for calling each other friends. Myungjun did not deserve friendship after such a blithering insult. 

“Don’t make assumptions.”

“Well?” Myungjun prodded.

Jinwoo refused to tell him it was true. He changed the subject instead. “Have you got a girl to go back to if we somehow manage to survive this?”

“Ooh, onto relationships, are we?” Myungjun wagged a finger at him. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing; you’re avoiding my question, aren’t you?”

“You caught me.”

“I can’t even be mad. Yes, I do have a girl. She’s lovely. You’d like her. How about you?”

Jinwoo shifted where he sat. “No.”

“Ah, just as well. As lovely as mine is, she’s also got quite the temper on her. She’d rip me open if she knew I was sitting here waiting for my death.”

“Who said anything about waiting for death? We’re merely resting, right?”

“We’ll die at the end; therefore, we are awaiting death.”

Jinwoo didn’t very much like thinking about how death was sure to come to them. He wanted to make it out alive, even if no one else ever had before. He still held onto the hope that they, perhaps, could be the first ones to find the egg and not die.

He stood up and offered Myungjun his hand. “Come,” he ordered, “we’ll face death like gentlemen, at least.”

Myungjun stared at him for a few seconds before smiling and taking his hand. “Sure,” he agreed, “Though my girl will still kill me, regardless of whether or not I was standing or sitting. At least I’ll already be dead so I won’t face her wrath.”

Jinwoo rolled his eyes as Myungjun laughed.

They held hands as they walked.


	8. Chapter 8

Minhyuk liked to try and keep up a calm persona for as long as he was able to.

In countless battles, he never lost face. In the midst of drunken brawls or confrontations, he was cool and composed. Hell, even when he had been chosen to assist Captain Moon in a task that would likely kill him, he gave nary an argument.

But the appearance of the egg ghost, the ghost of death, had him nervous and spooked and completely frightened. 

He felt as if there were eyes all over the cave, watching him, observing him. He felt as if one wrong step, one wrong move, would bring the wrath of the gods down upon him. He felt as if at any minute he would join the other soldiers who had perished inside of the cave, one of the countless sacrifices the kings sent in order to appease their own greed.

Something touched him. Minhyuk gave a start and spun around, hand on the hilt of his sword. But it was only Dongmin, who looked rather frightened with the reaction he had been given. Dongmin withdrew his hand and cleared his throat.

“Sorry if I scared you,” he apologized.

Minhyuk scowled and turned back to face the darkness, holding his torch out in front of him. “You didn’t scare me.”

“I feel like I did.”

“Preposterous.”

Bin chimed in, voice loud and boisterous, as if he cared very little for what might be around the corners of the cave. “Oh, come on, Minhyuk! You’re allowed to be scared! Dongmin’s ugly, and his face is frightening with only the lights of the torches. Trust me, I have to keep looking at him.”

“I can insult you far greater, Captain Moon,” Dongmin warned.

“Okay, then. Lay it on me. Unlike you, I can take criticism.”

But despite his words, Dongmin said nothing to Bin. He merely glared for a few seconds before turning his attention back to Minhyuk and grasping at his shoulder again. 

“I see you’re headed right,” Dongmin commented, “but might I suggest we go left, instead?”

They had been doing this constantly; left, right, right, left, left, left, right-- Minhyuk was quite tired of all the twists and turns this cave thrust upon them. At this point, he wasn’t sure if their direction even mattered; surely the cave was playing tricks with their mind. They had been walking for hours and there was no end in sight yet.

Minhyuk stretched out his arm, alighting the pathway of the left side of the cave. It looked about the same as the right.

Still, Dongmin was from Goryeo, and Minhyuk had to be a little snarky to an enemy captain. “Why should we go left?”

Dongmin gave a small hum. “I’m...I’m not quite sure. I just...I have a feeling, is all.”

At this, Bin laughed. “A  _ feeling _ ?” he teased. “Oh, my, what type of feeling, Dongmin? One that makes your skin crawl? Or one that makes you feel hot all over, breathless, panting with ecstasy--”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Dongmin fussed, voice rising louder than Minhyuk would have liked it to. “Don’t be crude! It’s just a general feeling, nothing more and nothing less. A tug, if you will. A little voice in my head telling me we ought to go left this time.”

It had never mattered before. Minhyuk wasn’t sure if it would matter now. 

He wanted to argue. He wanted to go right just to be difficult. However, there  _ was _ no reason to go right instead of left, or to go left instead of right. They were pawns in this game, and they would be moved however the cave saw fit.

So Minhyuk sighed. “Well, Captain Moon?”

Bin raised his eyebrows. “Hm?”

“Should we go right or left? I am but your humble servant, so I suppose I should listen to your commands, as much as I despise them.”

“No need to have such snark in your voice,” Bin chided. He appeared thoughtful, glancing back and forth between the two paths that stretched out before him. “Well,” he finally muttered, “I assume they’ll be the same paths, like every other path we’ve followed thus forth. Let’s take the left.” But, he then pointed a finger at Dongmin and added, “Just to be clear, I’m not taking this path because you tell us to; I’m taking it because it seems like the best option  _ to me _ . I can hear voices inside of my head, too, Dongmin. You aren’t the only special one here.”

Minhyuk rolled his eyes. Those two enjoyed fighting way too much. Already Dongmin was rearing back, delivering some nasty words and insults of his own. Minhyuk wouldn’t be shocked if they started to punch each other within a few minutes; they had nearly come to such physical attacks beforehand.

He didn’t want to peel them apart for a second time, so he broke in when their voices became a little too loud. “Let’s keep walking, then,” he ordered.

Neither of the captains were supposed to take orders from him, and yet Bin and Dongmin listened instantly. They shut their mouths and followed Minhyuk even deeper into the cave.

The cave had become less and less impressive as time dragged on. It was the same thing over and over and over again, and Minhyuk decided he wouldn’t even necessarily mind dying if it meant he would be out of the cave.

The only difference with taking the left path, it seemed, was the weird, faint glow from further away.

The three of them stopped and stared down the cave’s path. Minhyuk squinted his eyes, as if that would help him see any better. “What are we looking at?” he whispered.

“I...I don’t know,” Bin responded.

The light flickered. The light got stronger. Whatever it was was coming right towards them.

Minhyuk heard Bin unsheathe his sword. Dongmin followed suit. Minhyuk, content to let the others deal with it, took a step back.

This could be what the egg ghost was warning them about.

This could be their demise.


	9. Chapter 9

Bin felt his heart bang around in his chest, desperate for an escape. It, too, did not want to fall victim to the terrifying thing coming straight for them. It wanted to run, to find the exit of the cave, to taste the sweet, crisp air of the outdoors and the lack of unknown dangers that surrounded them.

But, alas, his heart must remain where it was. Therefore, Bin, too, must stand in his spot, though his hand trembled and his eyes darted about, looking for his own escape.

There was no escape. He could do nothing but stand side-by-side with a friend and, dare he say, a  _ possible _ friend. If he died in this situation, he supposed he wouldn’t be completely disappointed. It was good company to have, as loathe as he was to admit such about Dongmin. He could deal with this.

The light stopped moving closer. There was a figure, too dark to truly make out, but it seemed rather tall. 

It also seemed rather like a human. Bin stepped forward; in response, Minhyuk gave a small hiss of warning, of fear, and Dongmin held his breath.

“We...we mean you no harm!” Bin called out, squinting in the darkness in an attempt to better make out what it was he was looking at. “Who are you? Or, if I may,  _ what _ are you?”

The figure shuffled a bit, and then a youthful voice called out, “Are you good?”

“I suppose!” Bin replied, feeling his heart calm and his muscles relax. “Are you?”

“Erm...yes?” 

“You don’t sound too sure.”

The figure came closer and closer. As it neared them, Bin could finally see that he had been looking at a human, definitely a human. He was a younger man with wild black hair and wide eyes, staring at the group in fear. His nose was flat and his cheeks were chubby but his body was rather long. He was taller than both Bin and even Dongmin, towering over them with gangly limbs he had yet to grow into. Bin thought he was rather precious, honestly, and he instantly developed a fondness for this strange boy.

But the boy was definitely not a soldier. He wore no armor and carried no sword. He looked out of place, out of sorts; besides, Bin had been sent by Goguryeo and Dongmin had been sent by Baekje and Bin assumed Myungjun had been sent by Silla. Who, then, had sent this boy? He was from the continent, and his accent was similar to that of someone from Silla, possibly, but Bin knew Silla wouldn’t have sent  _ multiple _ soldiers.

Would they?

“Why are you in this cave?” Bin asked.

The boy visibly swallowed. “I, uh...I know of the egg. I mean, everyone knows of the egg. I know the kings send soldiers in here to get the egg, and I know all of them die, but I thought...I need it.”

It was Dongmin who asked the next question. “Why is that? For gold? For fame? Who are you, young boy, to dare steal the egg from the throne?”

“The egg doesn’t belong to any throne,” Minhyuk pointed out, shooting Dongmin a look that could only be described as  _ disappointed _ . For one so young and not yet up to the proper social standing, Minhyuk certainly was a bit sassy. Bin really liked him. “This kid has about as much right to be in here as the rest of us do.”

“But what will we do if  _ he _ grabs the egg instead of one of us?”

“And what will you do, Dongmin, if  _ we _ grab the egg first?” Minhyuk asked, pointing to himself and Bin. “Will you strike us down? Have we all come this far to kill each other over a stupid egg?”

Minhyuk made a good point. Bin glanced at Dongmin, who met his gaze, looking rather ashamed. Bin had not yet thought of what he would do should he have to fight Dongmin for the egg.

“I wonder,” he mused suddenly, “if other soldiers have died because they have faced off unwillingly to vy for the egg. I wonder if they made friends they would later cut down in order to please their king.”

Dongmin grimaced and Minhyuk sighed. Only the younger boy appeared undeterred by such a thought.

“I wasn’t sent by any king,” he pointed out. “My name is Sanha. I just...I need that egg. It’s very important I get that egg.” 

He looked desperate, and yet he didn’t seem greedy. He didn’t seem like he was trying to find the egg in order to gather riches and fame and power. He didn’t appear to long for immortality or gold. He was rather pure in his demeanor, in his look, and Bin found himself wondering how he had managed to get so deep into the cave.

Determination, it seemed, had driven him onward. It was rather admirable. Bin found himself actually in awe of this kid, who had made it so far on his own.

“Have you come across any unsavory sights?” he asked.

Sanha blinked and then shook his head. “I mean,” he added, “the cave is rather creepy. I don’t think I like it very much, and I want to get out of here.”

“That makes four of us,” Bin muttered. He sheathed his sword again; Dongmin followed suit, and Minhyuk hesitated before doing the same. “Well, there’s definitely power in numbers, isn’t there? If Sanha is searching for the egg, shouldn’t we all stick together?”

Dongmin glanced between the newcomer and Bin. “And what shall we do when we find the egg? Only one of us can take it.”

“We fight to the death, of course,” Bin teased. “Just as I discussed.”

Sanha paled. “Maybe I ought to, um, go off by myself,” he muttered.

With a laugh, Bin clapped him on the shoulder. The poor kid jolted.

“I’m just teasing,” Bin said. “We’ll figure out our next step when we reach the egg. For now, let’s just focus on the path ahead, shall we?”

They all seemed to agree, but Bin found himself growing uneasy.

He knew he had to take the egg. He knew he had to fight the others. And, yet, he didn’t think he could go through with any of it.


	10. Chapter 10

They weren’t going to find the egg.

Likely, the egg didn’t even exist. Myungjun wouldn’t be shocked if it was all some sort of ridiculous legend, made up in order to create some sort of excitement within the kingdoms during times of peace. The kings would cling to the hope it was a real story, that they would get riches and power through no hard work of their own, and the people would happily go along with it because a strong king meant a strong kingdom.

And Myungjun, foolish as he was, had been full of hope when he was chosen and when he first entered the cave.

The hope was dwindling with each passing moment.

His legs felt heavy. His feet were sore in his boots. He was tired and his head hurt. He had no idea how long they had been in the cave for, nor did he know how deep in the cave they had gotten. All he knew was that he wanted to give up.

But he couldn’t, not now. Jinwoo was relying on him. Jinwoo was squeezing his hand from time to time, offering his wordless support. He would smile, too, and urge them both forward. He was stronger than anyone, Myungjun had come to realize. He had many chances to leave and yet he stuck by Myungjun’s side with nary a word of complaint.

“What shall you do when we get out of here?” Myungjun asked, his voice quiet.

Jinwoo glanced at him and raised his eyebrows. “When?” he repeated.

Myungjun chose not to correct his choice of words. He had to allow them some hope, right? Even if it was unlikely -- impossible! -- that they would ever escape, he wanted them to have something to cling to. 

Sure enough, Jinwoo relaxed a bit, a smile crossing his face. “Ah,” he murmured, seeing right through Myungjun’s walls. He was keen like that. Myungjun wished he hadn’t chosen Jinwoo to die; Jinwoo was liable to do great things, if only he would stay alive.

“I don’t know,” was Jinwoo’s boring response. “I know you mentioned you have a woman waiting for you; perhaps I ought to find myself a wife, as well. Or, perhaps, I’ll work hard and rise up to your level.” He snorted and added, “Though I’d make certain I was valuable enough to not be sent into this cave a second time.”

“Yes,” Myungjun agreed. “Make certain of that, for if you are as invaluable as me, then your life is worth the cost of a fake egg.”

Jinwoo jostled Myungjun’s hand slightly. “I didn’t mean it like that. You have value. I think the king made a mistake. If he wanted someone a bit more expendable, he should not have chosen you.”

“Now you’re just trying to flatter me.” Myungjun rolled his eyes and then trudged forward on his aching feet. “When I get out of here, the first thing I will do is take a nice, long bath. A nice, warm bath. I shan’t leave my tub until I have become wrinkled and pruny, and then I will sleep for a full day. When I awaken, I will eat my fill of the finest foods in all of the land.” He sighed dreamily, thinking of all that he could do once he left the cave. “And, of course, I’d become the most valuable member of the king’s court.”

“I hope you’ll remember me, your lowly servant.”

“I might.”

Jinwoo laughed and nudged Myungjun, causing him to giggle, as well.

“In all seriousness, though,” Myungjun continued as they followed the walls of the cave, “I would like for you to stay by my side after this. I know we don’t know each other very well, but I was hoping we could learn more. I mean, we’re already trusting each other with our lives in a cave that will likely kill us; I think we’ve skipped a lot of the process of making friends.”

“I think we skipped making acquaintances out of each other, even,” Jinwoo pointed out. “We’ll have to start back at the very beginning. I’ll have to bow to you and say, ‘hello, my name is Park Jinwoo, what’s your name?’”

“A charming greeting,” Myungjun teased. “But you’ll have to kneel before me. I will become a hero, after all, and don’t people kneel before heroes? I’m sure they do. And, if not, then you can set precedent.” 

Jinwoo snorted, but his smile didn’t falter one bit. “I think, after this is over, I’ll be glad to kneel before anyone, even before the gods themselves.”

“I’d rather not. Not yet, anyway. I’ve too much to accomplish before I meet the gods.”

He heard something, though, and he paused in his steps. Jinwoo stopped alongside him, and together they listened.

Somewhere in the cave, there was talking. There were footsteps, too. There was much movement. Myungjun looked over at Jinwoo, whose eyes were wide in the dim lighting offered by the torches.

“Perhaps the soldiers from Goguryeo and Baekje?” Jinwoo suggested, his voice lowered to a whisper.

There was no doubt Jinwoo was correct. The voices seemed too casual to be anything else. Myungjun thought, too, he could detect a slight accent, possibly someone from Baekje. That had to be the others. 

He had entered the cave hoping to never once catch sight of the representatives from the other kingdoms. However, with only Jinwoo by his side, he was lonely and becoming frightened of what lay in the dark. There was strength in numbers, and even if they did not find the egg, surely they could at least all work together to find some way out of the cave.

He tugged Jinwoo forward, intent on stumbling across the voices.

Jinwoo gasped, then asked, “Are we really going to meet them?”

“Why not?” Myungjun questioned.

“They...they might kill us.”

“Good point, but I’d rather die in a glorious battle with our enemies than die from starvation or, I don’t know, another goblin or something.”

Jinwoo hummed, accepting Myungjun’s point, and they continued forward.

When they turned a corner, they found the group of voices. There were more people than Myungjun had expected, and he perked up as he and Jinwoo skidded to a halt.

The others stared at them and Myungjun raised a hand in greeting, a large smile on his face.

It was Dongmin who spoke, a little bit frustrated and annoyed.

“Captain Kim,” he snapped, “I thought you would’ve died already.”

“I was about to die of boredom, but now that we’re together again, I’d love you to entertain me once more,” Myungjun responded. He grinned at Bin, who pursed his lips in return.

Myungjun knew he was going to enjoy their final moments together.

He hoped he would annoy them to death before they died of anything else.


	11. Chapter 11

The constant chatter was comforting in the first hour. Now, however, three hours later (or perhaps -- Dongmin did not know what time it might be), Myungjun was still going, fueled, it seemed, by exhaustion and discomfort. He talked more when he was nervous (or so Jinwoo whispered into Dongmin’s ear).

“Captain Kim,” Dongmin started, offering his fellow soldier a sour look, “may we try to keep it down, please? I’d rather us not run into any more enemies.”

“Any  _ more _ enemies?” Myungjun repeated, eyes wide with mock innocence. “Have you run into many enemies, then?”

Sanha shook his head, but Dongmin was quick to say, “We saw a ghost.”

“Ooh, terrifying,” Myungjun teased. “We found a goblin. Jinwoo fought him. He’s quite strong.” Then Myungjun gazed upon his fellow soldier with undisguised adoration. Bin snorted and Dongmin refrained from rolling his eyes.

He was, in all honesty, rather impressed that Jinwoo had fought off a supernatural creature. All Dongmin had done was cower and moan and whine. Myungjun and Jinwoo seemed to be the strongest.

Then again, Sanha had survived all by himself, with no training whatsoever. Dongmin turned his attention to the younger boy and asked, “You saw nothing?”

Once more, Sanha shook his head. “No,” he responded. “I’ve been by myself this whole time.”

Myungjun cooed; Jinwoo looked rather impressed.

“Are you from Silla, then?” Jinwoo asked. “Your accent sounds like it.”

“Yes. I’m...yeah, I come from Silla.”

Myungjun perked up. “Ah! Then you are assisting us in our quest to find the egg, right? We can let the others rot in here. Dongmin, I think that would be a fitting end for you, hm?”

Bin was quick to lean in close to Dongmin and whisper, “What’s the matter with you two? I sense a lot of tension.”

Unfortunately, Bin’s question was heard; Myungjun must have brilliant hearing. Either that, or Bin couldn’t keep his voice down low.

“I’ve bested Dongmin once before,” Myungjun bragged. “In battle, actually. I spared his life, for I am kind, but--”

“You tripped and fell before you could land the fatal blow,” Dongmin argued. He was thankful the cave was dark, for it shielded his reddened face. 

Myungjun waved a hand. “Yes, well, it still doesn’t change the fact that I beat you.”

Only Bin seemed to truly care; the others were continuing forward, paying no mind to the argument brewing between the captains. Once more, Dongmin felt rather humiliated for getting into such a petty fight in a life-or-death situation.

Jinwoo, seemingly trying to change the topic, asked, “Sanha, what are you doing here? Surely you knew that soldiers were being sent in and that you did not have to risk your life for the king.”

“It’s…” Sanha cleared his throat. “It’s not for the king. I don’t seek the egg for him.”

Myungjun raised his eyebrows. Even Dongmin was impressed with the boldness with which Sanha spoke. He was not here to seek glory for the king? He was here for himself? Dongmin wondered if Myungjun and Jinwoo would cut him down, to ensure Silla’s name was not sullied with some impudent civilian.

“Then who?” Jinwoo asked, voice somehow still calm.

Sanha looked nervous, and it was no wonder. He was speaking in the presence of soldiers who were willing to risk their life for their king. He was in quite the predicament, but he still managed to blurt out, “It’s...it’s for my mom. She’s very sick, and we…” He bit his bottom lip as he struggled to regain control over his emotions. “Nothing has helped. We have lost everything trying to heal her, but I don’t even mind living in poverty if it means I can have her back to the way she was. I just...I want her to be healthy. I don’t want her to die.”

It was a sweet, genuine reason. Dongmin’s heart went out to the young boy. He didn’t know what to say, and he glanced at his troupe. Minhyuk looked intrigued, and Bin looked sympathetic.

Myungjun was the first to speak, voice hoarse as he asked, “And you still came willingly, knowing that it was probable you would die in this cave?”

Sanha nodded his head. “This is the only hope she has left,” he murmured, “and if it means I die trying to get it to her, then so be it.”

Dongmin noticed his fingers trembled where he held his sword. His eyes were wide with fear. His posture was stooped, cowardly, as if trying not to draw much attention to himself. He was clearly terrified of what lay beyond, and yet he was willing to face off whatever demons he had to so he could save his mother.

Bin grimaced and turned toward Minhyuk. “Well, now I seem like the selfish bastard,” he said. “I mean, we’re trying to steal the egg for our king, who will use it to crush Silla and Goguryeo. As he should,” he added, smiling proudly at the others, “for our nation is far better.”

“I’d kill you for that if I wasn’t planning to use you as a sacrifice later,” Myungjun warned.

Bin shrugged his shoulders and continued, “Perhaps Dongmin was right.”

“About what?” Dongmin asked. He thought he was right about a great many things. He couldn’t remember all the intelligent words he had spewed recently.

“About  _ not _ giving the egg to the kings. Any of them.” Bin pointedly looked at Myungjun and Jinwoo.

Myungjun asked, “Why the hell is he looking at me?” Jinwoo merely sighed.

“They’re willing to send soldiers in here, year after year. We basically become cannon fodder for them. They force us into this cave, knowing full well we will not come out alive; on the off-chance we do, they will take the egg for themselves and use it only to better their own lives. We are nothing to them. We are expendable captains.”

For once, Myungjun had nothing to say to Bin’s words. He fell silent and stared at the ground, as if scrutinizing it. Jinwoo, however, nodded his head and crossed his arms over his chest.

Dongmin couldn’t believe Bin had changed so suddenly. He felt a bit of giddiness rising up within him, childlike rebellion taking over. He bounced slightly on the balls of his feet. 

“So?” he asked. “Shall we give Sanha the egg if we find it?”

“I don’t see why not,” Bin responded.

Minhyuk broke in. “But if we come back out alive,” he pointed out, “and do not have the egg with us, then we shall be branded as traitors.”

“We could say the egg doesn’t exist,” Jinwoo suggested. “Sanha could smuggle it to his home, and if we come out alive, then we could just say it’s not even here.”

“That could work,” Myungjun muttered. “I say we go with that plan. And if that still doesn’t work and we are executed for betrayal, then we had expected to die, anyway.”

Jinwoo snorted; even Minhyuk smiled a bit.

Dongmin squared his shoulders and looked at Sanha, who had listened to the conversation with bewilderment.

“Alright, Sanha,” Dongmin said. “Let’s find the egg for you, shall we?”


	12. Chapter 12

Sanha felt better with soldiers around him. Sure, most were from enemy territories and could probably behead him with a single flick of the wrist, but they  _ wouldn’t _ . Sanha knew he could trust them. He didn’t know why he knew, exactly, but he knew. They didn’t seem like the sort to kill a young boy.

Besides, they seemed quite willing to forgo their mission in order to help his mother. It was a touching act of kindness that Sanha honestly had not expected, and he found himself trying his best to hide a smile as Myungjun and Dongmin engaged in another verbal confrontation and as Jinwoo and Minhyuk began a low discussion of their own.

Bin, beside him, sighed loudly. “We’re with a bunch of idiots, aren’t we?” he wondered aloud.

Sanha glanced back at Jinwoo and Minhyuk, taking up the rear and oblivious to all else around them.

“Well,” he said, “I don’t think those two are.”

Bin humed. “The two aides. The foot soldiers. They aren’t even captains. See, Myungjun, Dongmin, and myself are the smarter and stronger ones.”

Sanha didn’t know how accurate that was. Myungjun, Dongmin, and Bin were sweet, but also seemed rather reckless and impulsive. Surely captains were chosen based on those skills, then? Sanha wouldn’t know.

“Are you a soldier, Sanha?” Bin asked.

Sanha laughed. “No, of course not! I stole this sword from my brother -- he’s a soldier. For Silla.”

“Obviously for Silla,” Myungjun interrupted, having torn himself away from his argument with a very frustrated Dongmin. “Silla only employs the  _ best _ soldiers.” Then, before anyone could say anything, he threateningly held up a finger toward Dongmin. “And if you try to make a stupid comeback, I’ll knock your teeth out, Dongmin. Don’t you dare say anything along the lines of,  _ then why did they employ you? _ because it isn’t funny, nor will it ever be funny.”

Myungjun sure was defensive for a captain. He was entertaining, and Sanha giggled.

They rounded a corner, and as they walked, Sanha opened his mouth to ask Bin more questions; he wanted to know all they had seen in the cave, all they had experienced, just so he might know what lay ahead. However, before he spoke, a loud rumble overtook the cave. The group of men froze, soldiers drawing their swords quickly to face whatever threat lay ahead.

Dongmin looked visibly shaken, and even Myungjun’s eyes were wide as he swung his head around, trying to find the source of the noise.

“What was that?” he asked, voice shaking.

Dongmin shrugged. Sanha drew his own sword but pressed himself against Bin in an attempt to guarantee some sort of protection.

As they all pondered and wondered, the rumble happened again, and then something in front of them moved.

It was a creature, a dragon, unpeeling itself from the ceiling of the cave and dropping to the ground. It was quite long, its body stretching out far behind itself, a tail wrapping protectively around something none of them could see. Smoke billowed from its nostrils as it stared at them with large, angry eyes. Fangs protruded from its mouth, a dangerous reminder of how close to death they all were.

No one moved. No one  _ breathed _ . No one made a sound.

The dragon spoke. It  _ spoke _ . Sanha could hardly believe his ears as it said, “What business have you with my egg?” Its voice was deep and rumbling, and sparks of flame danced across its tongue.

Myungjun blinked. “We...the egg?” he repeated, gaping at the creature. “Have we made it to the egg?”

“Of course, dimwit!” Dongmin hissed.

Before they could fight amongst themselves again, Minhyuk shoved his way in between the two men, facing the dragon with steely determination. 

“We...We do not have business with your egg,” he answered. The dragon cocked its head, curious, and so Minhyuk continued, “Only one of us does.” Then, he gestured for Sanha to join him.

Sanha didn’t want to stand in front of a dragon. He never thought he would get this far, and if he  _ would _ , then he had wanted it to be an egg in the middle of the room that he could merely pick up and prance away with. He didn’t want to talk to a creature who could murder him in a split second.

But Bin gently nudged him, and Sanha remembered his poor mother, withering away at home, in constant pain and despair. He took another step forward, knowing that even if he died, he would do so in her honor.

Once he stood beside Minhyuk, he bowed his head deeply, trying to show respect to the dragon. “I...I have come, seeking the egg,” he stammered, finding it quite difficult to talk with how dry his mouth had become. “My mother is terribly ill. She will die if she does not receive help. I want this egg because I heard it has the ability to heal, and...please, I must heal my mother.”

The dragon stared him down. Sanha lowered his gaze, trembling where he stood.

“And the soldiers?” the dragon asked. “Why have they come?”

Sanha cleared his throat. “They...they were sent by the kings.”

The dragon growled, the noise reverberating deep within its throat. “As have many others. Your royalty want my egg for selfish reasons.”

“They do,” Bin agreed, also stepping forward. He copied Sanha’s bow of respect. “I apologize for the disturbance. We are merely following orders. However, all of us have decided to give up the egg and allow Sanha to take it to heal his sickly mother.”

The dragon looked surprised, for as much as dragons could look surprised. Sanha regarded it cautiously, carefully. He didn’t move from where he stood, though he longed to turn tail and run. It was terrifying to look into the eyes of a dragon without trembling in fear, but Sanha did his best.

“All of the soldiers, then, have decided to give up the egg?” the dragon questioned, clearly in disbelief.

Myungjun nodded his head, then spoke. “We...I mean, it’s a matter of principle, really. If we somehow manage to take the egg and pass it off to the king, then...I suspect they will wage war over the power.”

The dragon curled its tail protectively around the egg. “You shall not get the egg.”

“Then we will die,” Myungjun responded, matter-of-factly. “We will be stuck in the cave and there will be no way to escape, and then the kings will send in more soldiers next year, and the year after. Young men will continue to be sacrificed all for the sake of an egg.”

Jinwoo picked up from where Myungjun left off. “But if Sanha takes the egg’s power instead, not only will his mother heal, but the kings might stop searching for the egg.”

WIth a thoughtful hum, the dragon responded, “Human greed never ceases. Even if one king decides not to continue the search, others will. People will, even if their kings do not. As long as the lure of gold and power is strong, then so, too, shall greed remain.”

Sanha swallowed thickly. The dragon had a very good point. He glanced nervously towards the others, all of whom seemed rather sheepish to have believed their initial plan would work. 

“I…” Sanha gnawed a bit at his lip. The dragon stared at him, and he bowed his head again. “If you do not wish to give me the egg, then I will not persuade you. I only...I only wanted to heal my mother. This was my last chance. If I cannot succeed, then perhaps I’m...I’m better dead.” 

“You don’t have to say that, kid,” Bin murmured, reaching up to touch his shoulder. “You’re brave and strong; you’re young, too, and have too much to live for to die now.”

“But I have failed in my quest. Is it worth it to stay alive?”

“We’ve  _ all _ failed,” Myungjun pointed out with a smile. “But I’d rather live, you know.” He looked at the dragon, meeting its gaze with little fear. Myungjun was either very brave, or very stupid. Sanha wasn’t sure which. “Dragon, is there a possibility we will get out of here alive, even without the egg?”

The dragon was silent for a few seconds, as if thinking over Myungjun’s request, before it blurted out, “You have all impressed me. The last man I let escape from the cave was rather selfless, as well. I allowed him to go with a promise to not speak of what he had seen. Clearly, that did not turn out well at all.” With a sigh, the dragon reared up slightly and pulled its egg closer to the front of its body. “But none, so far, have been granted use of my egg. Until now.”

Sanha felt his breath catch in his throat. He tried not to seem too confused when he repeated, “Until now?”

The dragon’s eyes were kind now as he stared at Sanha. “I have taken pity on you, and on your mother. Out of everyone I’ve seen, you and your group appear the strangest.” He gestured with one of his legs. “Come, then. The egg is yours, young one. Put your hands upon it and wish. One wish will come true; whether you wish for power or gold or immortality, it will come true. And if you wish for your mother to become well again, then it will help.”

Sanha took a step forward, then looked behind him. None of the soldiers had rushed toward the egg. They all seemed rather content with allowing Sanha to take their place.

He asked, “Will we be able to escape from here alive?”

“Yes,” the dragon assured. “Once you make your wish, you will be outside the cave entrance.”

Dongmin spoke up. “Even...even us?” he asked, gesturing toward himself, Bin, and Minhyuk. “We have seen the egg ghost, and...I was certain it meant death was on the horizon.”

“You’re not wrong,” the dragon responded. “But death is always on the horizon. It doesn’t mean it will happen now, or even ten years from now.” Then, the dragon looked sinister, mocking, and it added, “But sometimes the egg ghost is enough to deter even the most courageous of soldiers from continuing forth.”

The group relaxed a bit. Dongmin smiled. Myungjun whispered to Jinwoo, “This dragon’s a sly bastard.”

With the knowledge that they would all be safe, that they would all be alive, Sanha continued forward. He put his hands on the egg and, once more, looked at his friends.

“Are you certain?” he asked. “You will allow me this opportunity? None of you wants anything?”

They all shook their heads. Minhyuk was the first to grin and gesture at him. “Go on, then,” he urged. “I’d like to get out of here as soon as possible.”

Sanha turned back to the egg, and to the dragon gazing down at him. He took one last deep breath before bowing his head and whispering out his greatest desire.

“ _ Please heal my mother. Dispel the illness from her body. Allow her to be well again _ .”

Once he finished, he took his hands off the egg. The dragon nodded at him, and then, suddenly, the scenery changed in a split second. They all stood outside the cave again, a bit disoriented and confused.

Sanha wondered if it had even happened at all.

Bin felt at his own body, as if surprised he was still alive, then he whispered, “Did that really happen?”

“My god,” Jinwoo murmured, “it felt like some strange nightmare.”

“I wouldn’t say  _ nightmare _ ,” Myungjun countered. “I thought it was rather neat. I’d dream it all over again, if I could.”

The others vehemently disagreed. Sanha couldn’t help the giggle that escaped his mouth, elation taking over as it dawned on him that he had made it through the cave. His mother would be healed. The kings might even stop sacrificing men for their own personal gain. All would be well again.

Dongmin smiled fondly at him and draped an arm around his shoulders. “Well, then,” he said, “I think since we’re all supposed to be dead, no one will mind if we escort Sanha back home and ensure his mother is truly better again?”

“Another adventure!” Bin exclaimed.

Myungjun, proud and haughty, pushed his way forward. “No one knows Silla better than I do,” he boasted. “Come, Jinwoo! We’ll lead the way this time! Besides, Dongmin is a terrible navigator.”

“Excuse me?”

“You just trailed after Bin and Minhyuk like a giant baby.”

Minhyuk nodded his head and Bin laughed loudly.

Sanha, standing in the midst of these enemy soldiers, in the midst of these new  _ friends _ , could only smile.

Truly, all would finally be well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i want to PROFUSELY apologize for the ending. i'm not really good at writing this sort of thing, i fear. regardless, i do hope you've enjoyed, adam! merry christmas!

**Author's Note:**

> i will be posting a chapter a day until it is finished (at twelve chapters). hope you enjoy, adam!!


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